A Hartcliffe man jailed for life for murder has shown no remorse, according to the family of his victim.

A jury convicted Bradley Payne, 32, of fatally stabbing 43-year-old John Derrick in the stomach and head when the two argued in Gatehouse Avenue, Bishopsworth in July last year.

Payne, of Witch Hazel Road, denied murder as well as making a threat to kill and unlawfully wounding Aaron Bennington in a separate incident a month previously.

A jury at Bristol Crown Court took three hours to unanimously convict him of all charges following a two-week trial.

Imposing sentence the Honourable Mr Raymond Justice Jack told him: "Bradley Payne, you have been found guilty by the jury on three counts.

"The sentence for murder is life imprisonment and that is the sentence I pass."

The judge said Payne should serve a minimum 16-year term before he is eligible to be considered for parole.

He ordered that the large kitchen knife used as the murder weapon should be forfeited and destroyed.

As the sentence was passed applause rang out from the public gallery of court No 2 and members of Mr Derrick's family and friends thanked the judge and the jury.

After sentencing Mr Derrick's stepdaughter, Carrie O'Hallaran, 25, a part-time bar worker of Highridge Road, Bishopsworth, said: "Payne has shown no remorse at all. He blatantly laughed in our faces, not only today but on previous occasions.

"I am pleased with the verdict but no sentence will bring our dad back.

"I can't put it into words how I feel.

"I do feel a lot of things about Bradley Payne but I don't know how to say it."

Mr Derrick's previous partner Sarah Bell, 44, of Yatton, said: "I am very pleased with the sentence but it is bitter sweet.

"It could have been more but I am just so pleased he has been found guilty.

"Bradley Payne is a menace to society."

The jury was told that on Saturday July 12 last year Payne visited his parents' home just outside Bristol and spent the day decorating for them.

Ian Pringle QC, prosecuting, said around 6pm Mr Derrick visited the home of Payne's partner Samantha - also called Payne but no relation - at Innox Gardens in Withywood.

Mr Pringle said: "It would appear Samantha Payne didn't wish him there and she summoned the help of Bradley Payne.

"We know it because we have some texts which will show that's what she wanted."

Mr Pringle told the court Payne, with the help of his father, forcibly ejected Mr Derrick, who had been drinking from the premises and Payne's father called the police.

Mr Pringle said that, later, Payne decided to sort things out and arming himself with a kitchen knife took a youngster's BMX bike and went out to find Mr Derrick.

He said: "In essence the defendant and John Derrick confronted one another.

"They exchanged insults and John Derrick shouted 'I'll fight you, but no weapons.'

"The defendant dismounted, he approached John Derrick and shouted 'I'm going to kill you!'

"He took the knife out from behind his back and swung it with his right hand.

"He hit John Derrick in the stomach and almost immediately he swung it again and stabbed him in his eye.

"John Derrick collapsed almost immediately and the defendant left the scene."

A post mortem later revealed Mr Derrick had been stabbed through his left eye socket and into his brain, rupturing a main artery which supplied the brain and causing massive bleeding.

Payne was arrested when he walked into Broadbury Road police station and when asked if he was a witness to the killing said: "No, it was me."

It was further alleged that about a month before Payne visited the home of Aaron Bennington, produced some kind of implement and stabbed him on his left cheek, forehead and in the stomach after accusing him of touching his partner Samantha improperly.

In court Payne listened as many witnesses told the jury they saw him stab his victim.

He told the jury Mr Derrick had "basically walked into" his knife and denied lunging at him or realising the seriousness of the injury caused.

Neil Ford QC, defending, told the court Payne was a man from a respectable family who departed from respectability because of a heroin problem after leaving school.

He said: "There's no evidence he was using or withdrawing from heroin on July 12.

"Toxicology tests are not available to cover the time between the incident and the time he handed himself in."

Mr Ford stressed that his client had been leaving the scene until Mr Derrick called to him and issued some sort of challenge and Payne "lost the plot".

The police officer in charge of the case, detective chief inspector Sarah Crew said: "First and foremost our thoughts go to the family and friends of John Derrick at what is clearly a difficult time.

"The jury has considered the evidence and found Bradley Payne guilty of murder and two other offences of violence.

"The judge has sentence Bradley Payne to serve 16 years and in doing so has sent a clear message that acts of this nature cannot and will not be tolerated.

"This is a serious assault but such assaults are rare and chances of becoming a victim of knife crime in Avon and Somerset are low.

"However, carrying knives can have fatal consequences as this case has shown and if you carry a knife in Avon and Somerset you can expect to be stopped and searched and dealt with robustly."